1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to alarm systems, and particularly to a portable alarm system for coffins that provides an alarm system for emitting a signal to indicate that a person has been mistakenly presumed dead and has been buried while alive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Being buried prematurely is arguably one of the most terrifying of all human fears. History abounds with documented stories of people, whose vital signs being undetectable, are presumed to be deceased and are interred (without embalming) while still alive. One can only imagine the horror and panic that occurs if one awakes to find that he/she is trapped in the darkened and confined area of a tomb or coffin. Mistaken declarations of death are often discovered when the embalming process is initiated. However, many societies have religious tenets that require that the remains of the deceased must be interred within a certain time period, e.g., 24-48 hours. In such instances, embalming may not occur and the chance of premature burial is increased. Premature burial usually leads to death in a very short time (1-2 hours) because of one or a combination of the following: asphyxiation, dehydration, starvation or hypothermia. However, if a suitable amount of oxygen is available, survival could be in the order of a few days, barring serious injury.
The burial industry abounds with many devices that are geared to prevent premature burial. Unfortunately, these devices have proven to be unreliable and/or inefficient. The industry would certainly embrace a reliable device for detecting an incidence of premature burial. Thus, a portable alarm system for coffins solving the aforementioned problems is desired.